Green passport still fourth weakest globally

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistani passport has once again ranked among the world's weakest, placing fourth from the bottom for the fifth consecutive year, according to the latest Henley Passport Index, which measures global travel freedom based on visa-free access.

In the 2025 edition of the index, released on October 7, Pakistan ranked 103rd out of 106 countries, tied with Yemen, and ahead of only Iraq (104), Syria (105) and Afghanistan (106).

The ranking reflects the number of destinations a passport holder can visit without obtaining a visa beforehand.

According to the index, Pakistani and Yemeni passports each grant visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to only 31 destinations out of a total of 227. Iraq's passport allows entry to 29 countries, Syria's to 26 and Afghanistan's to 24.

The report notes that Pakistan's global standing has remained largely stagnant over the past half-decade.

In 2024 and 2023, the passport was ranked 100th, while in 2022 it stood at 109th, with visa-free access to 32 destinations. In 2021, it ranked 107th, also allowing entry to just 32 countries.